Barber of Seville gets new Moscow twist

Moscow's Helikon-Opera theatre is presenting its version of one of the most popular Rossini operas “The Barber of Seville”. A brutal Figaro with tattoos, criminal talents and pirate-like appearances – that's how director Dmitry Bert

It took the Italian composer just 19 days to create his masterpiece. Staging his original version of “The Barber of Seville” at 'Helicon-Opera, its Artistic Director Dmitry Bertman set his own record – he did it in just two months.

He searched archives to find something new about the classical opera, and managed to find a Russian trace. Gioachino Antonio Rossini was a friend of many Russian noblemen, and included some Russian folk tunes into the score.

Bertman says he wanted the production to be as dynamic as possible.

“In my role there are almost no scenes where I stand still. I am moving all the time, it takes so much energy,” Karina Grigoryan, an opera singer says.

An opera sitcom, “The Barber of Seville” is full of jokes, intrigues, and tricks. The director says its main aim is to entertain.

“When spectators come to see such a performance, they have to throw off the burden of their everyday problems straight away,” Mr Bertman believes.

The theatre company is going on a European tour soon to surprise foreign audiences with the original Russian Barber of Seville.